Richard's Reign (Book 6): Enthrall Novella #3 (Enthrall Sessions) Read online

  “And we’re eternally grateful,” said Isaac.

  “I’m grateful for the work you do,” I said. “It’s changing the way people see sharks and enlightening them to how important they are. I’ve been away too long.”

  “Don’t let that happen again,” said Isaac. “You know we love having you here.”

  “Me too,” I said. “This is good work you’re doing. Sharks are vital to keep the ecosystem in order, Andrea. Without them this finely balanced structure will collapse.”

  Isaac piped in, “Sharks have survived over 450 million years, and many species are threatened with extinction.”

  “Here she is,” I said soothingly.

  Out of the gloomy depths rose that familiar glide, all twelve feet of her, both old and new scars running down the side of her neck and that tag in her fin still secure.

  “Pearl,” I said softly.

  Andrea’s grip tightened. “Oh, my God.”

  “Nice and calm.”

  “It’s too big.”

  The large grey shark loomed close, making a passing sweep, dark eyes surveying us as its nose nudged a piece of fish away. She whipped around fast, jaw gaping, serrated teeth up against the glass, and she turned again sharply, shying away, cautious, moving through the water with a flip of her long tale.

  “She’s injured,” whispered Andrea.

  “You mean the scars on her gills?” I said.

  “Yes, look, she’s been attacked.”

  “What you’re seeing is very natural,” I said. “Those are sustained during sex. They’re from where her mate bit onto her to hold her still.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes.”

  “Looks painful.”

  “It heals.”

  Andrea pressed her fingertips into my ribs; perhaps a silent hint at her surprise at the roughness of the species.

  “See how brave she is?” I said.

  “She doesn’t seem to have an issue with being brave.”

  Pearl pulled back away from us, reacting to something unseen, and dived, disappearing into the murky depths.

  “Oh, thank God,” said Andrea.

  A jolt of adrenaline surged through my veins. “How far away?” I asked Isaac.

  “She’s at nine o’clock,” he replied.

  “I see her.”

  The shark was at least eighteen feet long and there was no surprise that she’d threatened Pearl and caused her to swim away, with her grey and white body mass startlingly big - a gigantic heart-stopping sea creature.

  My gust twisted in knots as she approached. A wave of exhilaration flooded over me.

  This number one predator made a sweep around our cage, her eyes on us; large gills rippling, enormous tale flicking.

  Andrea was silent.

  “You okay back there?”

  “No.”

  The shark circled, her two thousand pounds threatening to crush the cage should she swing her body around violently toward us. Her prowling proved she was hunting.

  God, she was spectacular. A breathtaking wonder.

  Andrea’s chin rested on my shoulder and I sensed she’d surrendered, fighting was useless, our vulnerability startling.

  “Her name’s Joy,” I whispered.

  “Lovely.”

  “Isn’t she gorgeous?”

  “I’d bite you if I didn’t have this thing on.”

  Isaac’s chuckle came from my earpiece.

  The shark’s jaw gape exposed row upon row of triangular serrated teeth, a mouth that could swallow a man whole; she gnawed the corner of the glass causing us to rock.

  She flipped away and circled the cage. Water buffered us.

  With a powerful lunge she struck out - her teeth embedded in one of the two floats above and it became nothing but hissing punctured material in her mouth as she shook it.

  Our refuge rocked to and fro as we were jolted about.

  “Richard!” Andrea snapped.

  “We’re fine,” I said. “As long as she doesn’t—”

  As though in slow motion we watched Joy flip her tale and explore above us. That floating bloody chum was too close to the second float. She caught that black rubber buoy between her serrated teeth.

  And crushed it.

  I spun around and hugged Andrea into me. “Hang on. I’ve got you.”

  From within our glass cage we descended into the murky depths.

  CHAPTER 16

  THE SWIRL OF the ocean enveloped us during our slow fall, bubbles surrounding us as the cage rocked.

  My ears were popping from the pressure.

  Andrea’s frantic breathing filled my earpiece.

  “Andrea,” I said firmly. “Do exactly as I say, understand?”

  “Yes,” she burst out, her body crushed against mine, her arms flailing.

  “Focus and trust me.” I brought her arms to her sides. “I need you to stay still.”

  I didn’t want her to look like a seal.

  “Oh, my God,” she said.

  “Stay calm.”

  She gripped my forearms. “Yes.”

  Our fall slowed even more and I stared up to see that the chain above us remained secure.

  Isaac’s voice sounded eerily quiet. “Are you both okay?” Any injuries?”

  “We’re fine.”

  Andrea’s eyes were filled with terror.

  A jolt let us know we’d stopped falling.

  I took a quick glance around us. “See, told you it’d be fun.”

  Adrenaline set my veins alight, my focus fusing together time and space, calculating; those well-practiced drills kicking in.

  “Richard, what are we going to do?”

  I pressed my mask against Andrea’s and stared into her deep brown eyes. “I’ve got this. We’ll be on the surface in no time.”

  “Really?”

  “Sure. Look down.”

  “Will I see a shark?”

  “Our way out.”

  She tilted her head and blinked into the murkiness. A few feet below us sat another cage, its metal bars sturdy.

  “We’re going to switch cages?” she said.

  “Yes,” I said. “It’s a walk in the park. Isaac, can you lower us any further?”

  “That’s as far as I can get you,” he said. “We’re working on the hydraulics of the metal cage.”

  “What’s holding us up?”

  “Technical hitch,” he said. “We’re working on it.”

  “See,” I reassured her. “This is just like any other day. Like shopping at the mall during the sales.”

  “I have a personal shopper,” she said, scanning the water around us. “Will Joy come back for us? We’re like two wounded seals. I heard sharks love seals.”

  “So how does that work?”

  “What?”

  “A personal shopper?”

  She flashed an annoyed glance my way. “Sounds so stupid now. Can you pull us up, Isaac?”

  “Look at me,” I said. “The floats are gone. We can’t ascend. We have to move to the other cage.”

  “It’s too far away.”

  “Can you bring the other cage up closer?” I asked Isaac.

  “We’re leaking hydraulic fluid,” he said. “But we’ve found the source and should have it fixed in no time.”

  I glanced at the bar on Andrea’s oxygen tank. She had fifteen minutes left. “Andrea, I need you to breathe slower.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t suck air like you.” I arched an amused brow. “Actually, no one sucks quite like you.”

  She thumped my arm and I burst out laughing.

  “I promise I’ll take care of you.” I smiled. “I’ll have us up on that boat in no time.”

  Her lips trembled. “Hurry up.”

  “We’re on it.”

  The cage below jolted and shifted slightly.

  “We need you to be our eyes,” said Isaac.

  “Will do,” I said. “Keep it coming. It’s ten feet away.”

  The me
tal cage neared, rising out of the deep toward us and I counted down for Isaac until it was as close as it could go.

  “Richard.” Andrea pointed.

  Three sharks circled below. Those smaller sharks were our warning sign. If they scattered, Joy could be close.

  “Can you bring it any closer?” I said. “There’s still a gap.”

  “That’s as close as we can get it,” said Isaac, “otherwise the wires might get caught in your cage. That would not be good.”

  “What would happen then?” Andrea asked.

  We’d be stuck down here forever.

  “I’d have to untangle it,” I said.

  “What happens if one of those sharks comes close when we’re transferring?” she asked, her voice sounding panicked.

  “I can handle them,” I said. “Now listen, I’m going to unclip the bottom of the glass. As soon as I do it you drop and swim to the other cage.”

  “Completely exposed?”

  “I’ll handle the sharks. You concentrate on getting to that cage.”

  There was no time to lose focus. No time for regret.

  I gripped Andrea’s forearms and held her as still as possible, buffered slightly by the swell. “So, this is the plan. I check for sharks. When I don’t see any I unlatch the base. You swim straight to the cage.”

  “And you’re right behind me?”

  “I’ll be right beside you.”

  “Then we get hoisted up?”

  “Yeah, see? It’ll be easy.”

  “Looking good on the sonar,” Isaac piped in. “The point’s at thirty feet.”

  And by point he meant Joy.

  “Okay, I’ll count to five. You face downward ready to go,” I said. “Isaac, the move is imminent.”

  “We’ve got you,” he said.

  Staring into Andrea’s visor, I checked for signs to see if she was ready and if this was something she thought she was capable of. A discreet glance at the back of her tank showed oxygen was down to twelve minutes.

  “Wait,” she said. “Let’s talk it through again.”

  “Sure.”

  “How long will it take to swim to the second cage?”

  “Seconds.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “Yes, but looking back you will.”

  “We can do this, right?”

  “Like I said - easy.”

  “How can you be so calm?”

  “I know sharks.”

  “Will they come for us?”

  “They’re curious, nothing more.”

  A blip in my ear from Isaac. “Can we do this now, please?”

  He’d no doubt caught the reading on Andrea’s tank.

  Or possibly caught Joy closing in.

  “We’re good to go,” I told him.

  “Wait.” Andrea grabbed my arm again. “There’s a shark.”

  I turned to see Pearl gliding by, her tale sweeping close and I waited for her to disappear into the murky distance.

  “Here we go,” I said, flipping over in what felt like slow motion to face downward.

  Andrea followed, throwing me a wary smile.

  “That’s my girl,” I said. “I’ll talk you through it.”

  A few sharks lingered below to the left of the cage. From her vantage point Andrea couldn’t see them.

  I beamed back at her and then turned my attention to the catch. My fingers slipped off the metal clip. I went for it again.

  “Something wrong?” said Andrea.

  “Little stiff.” I grabbed it with both hands and pulled hard, the resistance slowing me down.

  Isaac’s voice came over my earpiece. “Snap the others.”

  “And then kick the bottom out?” I said. “Good idea.”

  But it was the sudden movement I wanted to avoid.

  “Look,” said Andrea.

  Following her gaze I saw the sharks swimming close by.

  “See.” I said. “There they go.”

  They disappeared into the murkiness.

  The ocean swirled around us; buffering.

  I wrestled with the catch and it gave. The other three went more easily, and with a nudge the glass fell away.

  Leaving us more vulnerable than before.

  I gave a thumbs up. “Let’s move.”

  Andrea gestured that she was ready.

  “We’re moving now, Isaac,” I said.

  “See you soon,” he said.

  Propelling ourselves forward we kicked off from the cage and swam downward toward our metal sanctuary.

  I held back, making sure Andrea swum into the cage first, her elegant glide hiding the fact she was probably full of terror.

  She turned and gave me the thumbs up, gesturing for me to hurry, her face flushed.

  Turning, my legs sinking into the cage, I raised my head to catch the lone shark as it swam above me.

  Reaching out, I trailed my fingertips along her fin.

  CHAPTER 17

  OUR CAGE ROSE out of the depths with the skill needed to balance our safe ascent.

  Andrea followed my command to exhale all oxygen from her lungs, hugging me as we rose. Those bubbles rising from her airway proved she’d obeyed.

  We were greeted with more hugs on the surface.

  A pat on my back from Isaac, his laughter revealing he’d found this just as exhilarating as I had. Andrea claimed she was fine, but her frantic carotid pulse proved otherwise.

  Within minutes we’d returned to our cabin to change.

  She was shaking, the adrenaline still racing through her body, her eyes wide as she scanned the glass bottom.

  “It’s one way,” I said. “We’re oblique to all ocean life.”

  She ignored me and unzipped her wetsuit.

  I stepped out of mine. “I don’t know about you but I’m aroused.”

  That gorgeous face was marred with confusion, damp flushed skin; a slight tremble.

  I stood there, calm, waiting, ready for her to spill. “At no time were we in danger.”

  She moved closer and slapped my face hard.

  “You’re going to have to help me out here?” I said. “I have no idea why you’re pissed off.”

  Her clenched fists relaxed, her eyes wild with excitement as she sprang at me, cupping her hands on either side of my face and pressing her lips to mine. We kissed passionately, our damp bodies molded together, our tongues teasing, punishing, relishing that taste of salt.

  She pulled back and slapped me again.

  My cock responded with a pulse of pleasure and I caught her glancing down at it.

  “Andrea, you’re going to kiss me again. Only this time you’ll be a good girl and surrender in my arms. Understand?”

  “Why should I?”

  “Because now you have fire in your eyes. And I’m the one who put it there.”

  Her gaze fell to my lips. “You’re out of your mind.”

  “You outdid yourself down there.”

  She threw an angry glance my way. “That was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever faced.”

  “Andrea, come here, now.”

  “No,”

  “Andrea.”

  “We could have died down there.”

  “The Buddhists believe that in order to truly live we have to know what it is to die.”

  She let out a sob and fell into my arms, her lips on mine, giving in as I tipped her head back and owned her mouth, my tongue fucking hers as her body relaxed, relenting.

  I righted her and we hugged, our bodies damp, our flesh warm, hearing the quiet creaking of the boat as it rocked beneath our feet.

  I kissed her forehead. “You’re reborn.”

  She sucked in a deep breath and pushed away from me, her stare finding the glass wall. She walked over and rested her palms against it, gazing out into the blue-green depths.

  I approached and stood behind her. “Andrea?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  I bowed my head; questioning my methods.

  She spun round
and raised her chin defiantly. “It’s gone. My fear. It’s no longer—” She pressed her palm to her chest as though testing it.

  From behind her a Marlin swam past. Andrea noticed the beautiful fish swim by, and she burst into laughter.

  “You surrendered.”

  “I went beyond fear.”

  “What do you need, Andrea? I’ll give you anything. Do anything for you. You know that.”

  “I need you to fuck me, Richard - just fuck me hard, okay?”

  I reached round and grabbed a lock of wet matted hair at her scalp and drew her toward me, my lips firm on hers, forcing her mouth wide.

  She surrendered against me.

  Softening my kiss, our mouths explored tenderly, words no longer needed to prove we both felt her breakthrough. Her tongue danced with mine, and I heard her sob of relief as she bit my lower lip.

  I lifted her, pressing her body against the glass. She wrapped her legs around my waist, my cock pressing at her entrance. A small shift and I thrust easily inside her tautness, slamming her against the window.

  Our movement in perfect unison, we fell into a natural rhythm, her smiling in between a change of position. Taking her from behind now, she leaned over with her hands splayed on the glass, her butt pushed out for me, my balls striking her sex. Her groans silenced as I slapped my hand over her mouth. We went from me kneeling between her legs and worshiping her sex with my tongue, to her bowed before me, her mouth taking my cock in long firm sucks and almost making me lose control.

  We settled on the glass floor, wrapped in each other’s arms, rolling from one end of our small cabin to the other.

  Our breathy sighs and the slapping of our bodies together the only noise we heard.

  Buried deep inside her, my chest raised on my elbows while using my pelvic thrusts to take her closer, I pummeled into her, her pussy milking me, her fingernails digging deep into my back and scratching along my spine.

  She was wild, and free, and tempestuous in my arms.

  I loved her freckled face, those big brown eyes that looked up at me in awe, her femininity as she glided elegantly beneath me, her enduring strength.

  We were a perfect balance between domination and submission, the level I’d needed but never realized - her spirit in perfect accord with mine.

  She led our lovemaking and I let her. She needed to find her own way back to her own power.

  Until she needed me to take over again; master her.

  With her face down, her ass high in the air, I rode her from behind. There were fine fresh scratches along the left side of her neck and I ran my fingertips along them, her tender skin a victim of our fierce lovemaking.